Rescue

[TribalRats]

What is your take on rescue. When is a dog too far gone, I am not talking Ceasar Milan too far gone I mean health wise.
For instance the blind Rattie I am going to foster how do you feel about that? Or a dog bron with a genetic defect that can cause trouble with quality and length of life.
Should rescue still get involved or is it a lost caus when a dog is bron with a major defect?

[Cassiepeia]

I don't think being blind (or deaf) is a major defect if we're looking at quality of life. Dogs can live quite happy lives without their sight or hearing...just like people can.

If we're talking about a defect that really does inhibit quality of life then I would say the animal is best put to sleep.

Cass.

[calgal]

I second that!

[elegy]

my first dog was a miniature poodle i adopted at 15. she was mostly blind, mostly deaf, had congestive heart failure and kidney problems, separation anxiety, and was not remotely housebroken. but she needed a home and nobody else wanted her.

i loved that little dog. at times it was very very overwhelming. there were moments when i regretted taking her in (usually when she'd just pooped on the carpet for the third time or i left her home and returned to a kitchen completely covered in walked-in poop). she could have been euthanized, but she still had life left in her and it just seemed the right thing to let her live it.

i don't know if it's because of that experience that i am so softened to special needs dogs?

as long as being kept alive is truly for the dog's best interest, why shouldn't they get homes and be loved and cared for? it's not their fault they are in this world or "defective". a dog whose quality of life is not good should be euthanized, but i see no problem in taking dogs with physical problems that will never be cured as long as the owner understands what is involved and is able to handle it.

[BackyardZoo]

if A dog is going to die in a week rescues should still get involved so they can make that dog's life (it's last days) the best days it's best days.

[DaisySunshine]

I third that.

[Pugdawg1]

For a dog who's say, blind or deaf or both, it's not the end of the world. I know of two rescue pugs that don't even HAVE eyes, that lead wonderful lives.

Sometimes something is wrong that is just so severe, painful, or cannot be treated, that the dog needs to be euthanized. Rescues are there for that, as well. Have to know when the dog is able to live a decent life for a bit longer, or if the poor thing is so miserable that death will be a welcome relief.

I know of a rescue pug that has deformities in his front legs.. Surgery apparently is not an option.. I believe they tried, but it actually made things worse. Anyhow, that pug scoots, hops etc, to make up for having to sort of be down on his elbows. Once you look past the defomity and see the dog and his happiness and love of life, you know he is OK. That poor pug was originally left outside 24/7. I don't know how he even survived. He is in a foster home, but I do believe foster home as become quite permanent. I know he is kept active, gets out a lot, does things with his terrific person, and leads an awesome life.. he just moves differently. He is not in pain. That's what matters.

When they have discomfort, lose the will to eat, lose that life in their eyes, then it's time that they move on. The rescue i work with does not extend a dogs life on and on, when it's odvious it's not meant to be.

[mrsgrubby]

What a tough, tough question.

Being the ED for a non profit allows me to look at this in two totally different ways.

1. The financial aspect.
Non profits, rescues, ect. are always short on money. There is never enough money to go around, and never enough to cover even a portion of all the need. To dump a large amount of a scarce resouce into one animal, an animal that might not live, or live a decent life, would be a dis-service to other animals that may be turned away due to lack of funds, Animals that have nothing wrong with them at all.

We struggle in our non profit with this regularly. The goal is to help as many in need as possible, so if you spend a dis-proportionate amount on one case, then you cut the number of cases you can help significantly.

In this example, is it fair to spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars to save one dog if it means turning away 10 more because you now don't have the money, time, or other resources to help them?

2. The caring aspect
This side has nothing to do with finances and the rest, but totally on the value of life. A blind, deaf, hurt, sick, handicapped animal is still an animal, and if something can be done to allow them to live a happy, comfortable life, shouldn't it be done? Who are we to value one life as more important than another life? How do we know that the difference we make in that one life won't be so huge that it will, in the end, end up changing many lives and touching many lives?

I think the original question from Tribal is too hard to have a general answer. Each animal needs to be looked at on an individual, case by case, basis.

All the sides need to be looked at, the finances and the capacity of the rescue organization, the availability of foster families, vets, and time, the spirit of the animal, the overall prognosis of the animal, recomendations of vets, and any other important factors.

A truly educated decision can not be made until all factors are reviewed.

[TribalRats]

GREAT response MrsGrubby.

In this example, is it fair to spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars to save one dog if it means turning away 10 more because you now don't have the money, time, or other resources to help them?

This is what the rescue I deal with struggles with all the time. Never enough funds and always too many dogs. Heart wrenching decisions have to be made when there are dogs who need saving and one who need $1000 surgery thankfully the rescue I deal with has some friends with some funds and often a private party will make an anonymous donation in that pups name....however that is not always the case.
This is why I posed the question. Of course we would like to save EVERY dog no matter what the life issues however when dealing with a nonprofit rescue where to you draw the line on health issues or can you?
I agree that with a blind or deaf dog the odds are good this dog will lead a very happy life witht he right family.

[Tiffany0204]

I haven't actually ever rescued a dog, or fostered one for that matter, I personally don't have the time or the space, but I do donate to causes that rescue them. I believe it's up to us to be responsible for the dogs.

I see nothing wrong with deaf or blind dogs. Deaf dogs can still learn through hand signals, and blind dogs with hearing. Beni went blind, and even though he'd walk into walls if he was in a new area (poor thing...) he was still quite happy and content because he was with us.

I think it takes a special person to rescue in the first place, an even more special person to take on a dog with special needs. However, if the quality of life isn't there, or the dog is in pain I'm going to have to echo Cass and say that it'd probrably be best to be put to sleep.

But I'd want to give it lots of kisses and hugs before that though, so the dog would know that it's loved.

[mrsgrubby]

Tribal,
I know it is hard to make those decisions. We have to make them too, both with the rescue I volunteer for, and the non profit I work for.

Don't grow weary in your work, every animal helped makes a difference, and even the ones that need to be PTS at least going knowing that their final moments were surrounded by love. Don't give up, keep plugging forward, we can only do the best we can do.

[TribalRats]

Don't grow weary in your work, every animal helped makes a difference

That is a beautiful sentace.

[DaisySunshine]

This was my situation:

I unofficially adopted a cat from a local group. Her foster mum was a friend of mine so I didn't go through the correct channels to adopt Honey.

Honey had some behavioural/health issues that I could never solve. She would urinate right in front of me on the sofa, my bed, and other places. She did everything a healthy cat wouldn't do. Something was wrong with her and she was trying communicate it in the only way she could. I took her too several vets and we could never isolate a physical reason for her behavior. I followed every suggestion the vets gave me for discouraging this behaviour. At one time, I had 4 cat litter boxes in a 500 square foot apartment! Tinfoil all over my furniture! Plastic bags! Tests, drugs, more tests and more drugs.

I was never able to solve this issue and it became a serious financial burden that I am still paying on. Honey was ruining the carpet in my rental and had already ruined a futon. My only alternative was too confine her in the bathroom. And I simply could not do that too her. It would have been to cruel to confine her to a sunless bathroom for 8-10 hours a day.

This went on for over a year. I began calling around to different animals groups to see if they would be able to take her. None of them would take a sick animal. None. The girl who originally gave me Honey also would not take her back. None one wanted a sick cat. There were too many healthy animals that needed homes.

I discussed my situation with my vet and we came to the conclusion that her quality of life would continue to deteriorate. I made the hardest decision I have ever made and had her put to sleep. Honey was only 3 years old.

Of course, I regret doing it. Who doesn't feel like there was something else they couldn't have tried to save a beloved pet? I wish I had tried alternative therapies.

So yes, I do think health or medical conditions should be considered when an animal is up for adoption. It isn't fair to the animal to continue a life of suffering. It isn't fair too put a pet parent through pain of watching a pet die.

My 2cents.

[Mellie]

I have rescued more than one dog with special needs.

My first, my beloved Jake, was adopted out to a home before I ever met him. He was returned before the end of 2 weeks. They could not justify the financial needs of this dog.
He was repeatedly passed over by prospective adopters for younger, healthier dogs. But I fell in love with him at first sight.
Over the next 10 months he was with us, Jake received overwhelming love and care. And he gave it back ten-fold. People always commented on what a sweet soul he was. They also said they could see how happy he was to be with me. He adored me. And I him. He was my soulmate of a dog.
If rescue had not given him a chance because of his conditions, he never would have known those 10 months of being the most important thing in someone's life. I thank the stars that he was not turned away. I still think about him every day.

[marley05]

I believe that every animal deserves to live its life to the fullest. No matter what.